Chiefs get even closer to No. 1 AFC seed in win over Texans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs did themselves a favour successful position of securing the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed by beating the Houston Texans 27-19 connected Saturday astatine Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs now person a 91% chance of being the No. 1 seed, according to ESPN Analytics. The apical seed carries a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage.

They request to either triumph 1 of their last 2 regular-season games aliases person the Buffalo Bills suffer immoderate of their remaining 3 games to clinch the apical spot. Kansas City would person had a 62% chance astatine the No. 1 seed had it mislaid to the Texans.

Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

QB breakdown: Patrick Mahomes tin beryllium effective pinch his precocious ankle sprain. He didn't person his champion crippled but was bully capable for the Chiefs to win. He scored the Chiefs' first touchdown connected a 15-yard scramble and besides had a 12-yard scramble connected the drive.

Most astonishing performance: Wide receiver Hollywood Brown had a promising crippled for a subordinate who hasn't been successful a crippled since suffering a sternoclavicular wounded during the preseason. Brown didn't play a batch but caught 5 passes for 45 yards. One came connected 4th down, and different came connected 3rd down. Both plays delivered the Chiefs a caller group of downs.

Troubling trend: The Chiefs, a week aft producing 5 sacks against the Cleveland Browns, had problem getting unit connected C.J. Stroud. He was sacked erstwhile and was different pressured only occasionally. The Browns crippled was the outlier. The Chiefs person struggled to unit and sack the opposing backmost astir of the season. -- Adam Teicher

Next game: astatine Pittsburgh Steelers (Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET, Netflix)

Houston Texans (9-6)

The Texans mislaid 3 starters astatine cardinal positions connected Saturday successful correct defender Shaq Mason, wideout Tank Dell, and information Jimmie Ward. Dell's wounded came disconnected a touchdown connected Houston's first possession of the 2nd half erstwhile wideout Jared Wayne collided pinch Dell's knee successful the extremity zone.

Dell's wounded was an affectional infinitesimal arsenic Texans players cried and struggled to retrieve afterward. The touchdown made the people 17-16; kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed the other point. Following the injury, Houston scored 3 points while allowing 10.

The Texans had a chance to people a game-tying touchdown connected their past drive, but the possession resulted successful a punt. The Chiefs sewage the shot backmost and ended the crippled pinch aggregate first downs.

Describe the crippled successful 2 words: Major injuries. The Texans mislaid 3 starters successful Ward, Mason and Dell to little limb injuries. These injuries don't look to beryllium short-term injuries arsenic Dell and Ward were carted off, and Mason had bodies autumn connected 1 of his knees successful a muddy pocket. The Texans are already without cardinal players successful wideout Stefon Diggs and information Jalen Pitre, who are retired for the season. Adding Ward, Dell and Mason to that database makes it harder to flooded arsenic the postseason approaches.

QB breakdown: Stroud gave the Texans a chance to propulsion disconnected the upset pinch his performance. He wasn't cleanable arsenic he threw 2 interceptions, but he had plentifulness of moments erstwhile he lifted the discourtesy and made plays pinch his legs. He was 7-for-9 for 43 yards and a touchdown for a passer standing of 123.6 erstwhile throwing connected the run, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, and rushed for 23 yards. He vanished the time with 244 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Promising trend: The Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr. cornerback duo, only allowing 11 targets for 4 catches and 35 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. Lassiter did springiness up a touchdown, but he held up 1-on-1 pinch speedy Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy connected aggregate plays. With Pitre and Ward out, the duo must support this level of play for the Texans' playoff tally to withstand injures to the secondary. -- DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. ET, Netflix)